Easy, Spicy Potato Curry

Here's a totally delicious and exquisitely simple Potato Curry that goes perfectly with the Instant Pot Khichdi with Mung Bean Sprouts I shared Thursday.

If you are someone who likes Indian food but finds it daunting to cook, recipes like the khichdi and this curry are the perfect recipes to start with. They are foolproof, require a minimum of ingredients, and you'll be so happy with yourself for cooking up the perfect meal, you might actually want to cook Indian food every day for the rest of your life.

Just kidding.

Or maybe not.

Anyhoo, to make a long story short, this Potato Curry really delivers, flavor-wise, health-wise, and ease-of-making-it-wise.

It comes together in under 30 minutes, so let's get started.

Ingredients for Potato Curry

• Potatoes. Use a gold or red potato for this. A russet will work at a pinch, but russets are not ideal in curries because they break down too easily and get very floury, changing the texture of the curry.
• Onions: Red, yellow, any kind works. Use shallots if possible.
• Vegetable oil. Coconut oil is fine here, as is peanut or avocado oil.
• Cumin seeds. For deep, earthy fragrance.
• Mustard seeds: For a pop of pungent flavor.
• Curry leaves: These complement the south Indian flavors in this recipe.
• Ginger: For freshness and a zing of flavor.
• Garlic
• Turmeric. For color and health.
• Garam masala. Use a good homemade blend like the one I linked here, or a trusted store brand.
• Cayenne or any red pepper powder like paprika.
• Cilantro (optional)

How to make the Potato Curry

• Start out by cutting 5 medium gold or red potatoes into a fairly small dice-- no bigger than half an inch. Crush a ½-inch piece of ginger and 3 cloves of garlic along with 1 teaspoon of cumin into a coarse paste with a mortar and pestle or in a food processor.
• Heat the oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and when they start to sputter, add the onions and saute until translucent.
• Add the curry leaves along with the crushed cumin, ginger and garlic. Saute for a few seconds.
• Add the potatoes with the turmeric, garam masala and cayenne. Give it all a good stir, add two cups of water, and bring the curry to a boil.
• Cover the saucepan with a lid and let the curry cook 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. If you want your curry to thicken a bit, you can crush some of the potatoes with a ladle.
• Add salt and garnish, if you wish, with cilantro. You can also add a squeeze of lemon for more flavor. Serve hot.

How to serve the Potato Curry:

• This potato curry is especially delightful with the simple Instant Pot Khichdi, because its spiciness perfectly complements the rather plain khichdi. 
• You can also serve it with a simple pulao, like this Eggplant Pulao,
• The curry also is great scooped up with a roti or a naan.

If you make this curry, be sure to let me know in the comments below, or take a photo and post to Instagram. Tag me @HolyCowVegan. I'd love to see!

Related recipes

• Masala Khichdi
• Easy Mung Sprouts Khichdi with Butternut Squash
• Instant Pot Khichdi with Mung Bean Sprouts
• Vegan Baked One Pot Chickpea Curry with Cauliflower and Potatoes
• South Indian Vegetable Curry
• Vegan Mango Curry
• Creamy Peas Potato Curry

• Learn how to make a Basic Tomato Onion Sauce for quick Indian curries in an Instant Pot.